Ajax Bay
Guru
- Location
- East Devon
LEgentleJOG 2021.....
- Thread starter mikeIow
- Start date
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Sadly it lost - he managed to get himself off - quite bizarre
If I need a lawyer, I think I'll get in touch with him
Ming the Merciless
There is no mercy
- Location
- Inside my skull
Regards booking B&B you could always book first few days then see how you are going. You could also plan variations along the way. Going well, route up through the Peak District and South Pennines. Finding it tough stay west in the flatter Cheshire and Lancashire plains etc. Then you could aim to book key B&Bs if you think you’ll be in a popular area at weekend but don’t book during week as more likely availability will be fine. Then you’ll have a 5-6 day mileage to cover but what you do each day can be flexed based on weather and how you are going.
As to backup maps, some pages ripped out of a cheap road atlas will do.
As to backup maps, some pages ripped out of a cheap road atlas will do.
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Well, the pals I join from Edinburgh have booked all our June accommodation for the last week, Edin-JoG...including the Crask Inn I saw recommended by someone on here 
My first few nights are planned, just the small matter of some more planning
......oh, and some not inconsiderable training ahead, I guess
My route is via Leicester, so onwards up to York, then the small decision on travelling the steep yet strangely recommended (by cycle.travel) route over the Pennines, or to take the less *ahem* inclined paths more easterly....plenty of time to make that choice, I guess....
My first few nights are planned, just the small matter of some more planning
......oh, and some not inconsiderable training ahead, I guess
My route is via Leicester, so onwards up to York, then the small decision on travelling the steep yet strangely recommended (by cycle.travel) route over the Pennines, or to take the less *ahem* inclined paths more easterly....plenty of time to make that choice, I guess....
Here we are then.....mere days away from le Grand Depart 😱 
Route has been chosen....the hillier one through the Yorkshire Dales. A glutton for punishment
Next few days will be
Not to mention nervously checking forecasts.....🌞🌪🌦🌩💨💦
....in particular, wind direction: did a 50m ride the other weekend directly into a north-easterly: horrible! A similar one last weekend with a so’westerly saw my feeble speed go up about 2mph, and of course the ride felt so much easier!
I am a bit less concerned about rain....I’ve had a hail and rain the past few weeks, it is the wind direction that kills me🌬
Bike is in fine fettle, & given the forecast this weekend, I will probably not get out for any more runs: don't it want to risk any mechanical or personal last minute issues, it’s all in the head now
Also managed to raise almost £1,500 (so far!) for Mountain Rescue, pleased with that
Route has been chosen....the hillier one through the Yorkshire Dales. A glutton for punishment
- Accommodation (including some campsites on my Leics2Edin leg): ✅
- Return coach from Wick to Edin (ScotRail were too unhelpful!): ✅
- A reasonable number of miles put on (by my standards: see below!): ✅
Next few days will be
- printing some ‘worst case scenario’ maps (in case my Wahoo Roam misbehaves....but I have faith!) to pop in the handlebar bag
- final kit selection (ie, ruthlessly cull the bags of kit I’ve piled up thus far!)
- mental prep....
- & choosing which snacks to take from my vast collection of Naked, Tribe, Trek, Outdoor Provision and more
Not to mention nervously checking forecasts.....🌞🌪🌦🌩💨💦
....in particular, wind direction: did a 50m ride the other weekend directly into a north-easterly: horrible! A similar one last weekend with a so’westerly saw my feeble speed go up about 2mph, and of course the ride felt so much easier!
I am a bit less concerned about rain....I’ve had a hail and rain the past few weeks, it is the wind direction that kills me🌬
Bike is in fine fettle, & given the forecast this weekend, I will probably not get out for any more runs: don't it want to risk any mechanical or personal last minute issues, it’s all in the head now
Also managed to raise almost £1,500 (so far!) for Mountain Rescue, pleased with that
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Ajax Bay
Guru
- Location
- East Devon
Have one suggestion, Mike: consider buying a road atlas (I use the £8 AA large stapled spine ones, either 1" to 4 miles or 1" to 3 miles) and highlighting your route on the various pages, and then cut out and trim the pages. Good luck for the final preps. Be ruthless with discarding all 'just in case' items. You will be going past a lot of shops which sell food so only carry a day's worth.
Riding from Penzance to Exeter on Saturday (depart 0938 ex train, if the train runs), so if that's your start day, I'll look out for a heavily
laden Sirrus on the road.Have one suggestion, Mike: consider buying a road atlas (I use the £8 AA large stapled spine ones, either 1" to 4 miles or 1" to 3 miles) and highlighting your route on the various pages, and then cut out and trim the pages. Good luck for the final preps. Be ruthless with discarding all 'just in case' items. You will be going past a lot of shops which sell food so only carry a day's worth.
Riding from Penzance to Exeter on Saturday (depart 0938 ex train, if the train runs), so if that's your start day, I'll look out for a heavily
Wise words! My pedalling actually begins Tuesday, late morning (90-min drive to get there, then faffing about with pictures, doubt I will start much before 10)
My paper maps are kind of exactly that, sized to precisely fit my handlebar map pocket on top - for example:
https://cycle.travel/map (*brilliant* way to plan a bike ride anywhere, including 20 days of LEJoG - nice work, @Richard Fairhurst - although if you could get rid of those red bits on the elevation map, I would be happier!!) allows you to use the OS maps, as well as the default ones.
The default ones are superb for planning - let you see cycle paths, national routes, etc, but for my emergency set, I am printing these out. If I squint closely, I can even read them!
Also, of course, have the mobile phone with google maps....I know much of the area will struggle for signal, but I think I am covered.
& in Wahoo, I trust - these are just the Disaster Recovery Expert in me coming out
Having taken me down there, my wife will be loitering in the areas for the first 3 days - my emergency backup. Yet still, for some reason, she fails to see it as our annual "holiday'
Also have a few pals joining me for stretches ranging from 25 miles to 60 on some of the days to Leicester, and one for 3 days after.
Despite my brain giving me plenty of reasons to be worried, I really am looking forward to it!
Provided I remove pedals and cover wheels (have a CTC bag), they don't need to be booked. Will also turn the handlebars too.
My pals for that leg have done the planning.....although cycle.travel did spot a problem with the Major Roadworks past Perth, & so I suggested the dog-leg at the bottom of this:
If you have other suggestions, please let me know - I have yet to go through the rest of theirs with a fine tooth comb
Not sure you need those worst case scenario maps for the middle section...Here we are then.....mere days away from le Grand Depart 😱
Route has been chosen....the hillier one through the Yorkshire Dales. A glutton for punishment
View attachment 588589
- Accommodation (including some campsites on my Leics2Edin leg): ✅
- Return coach from Wick to Edin (ScotRail were too unhelpful!): ✅
- A reasonable number of miles put on (by my standards: see below!): ✅
Next few days will be
View attachment 588590
- printing some ‘worst case scenario’ maps (in case my Wahoo Roam misbehaves....but I have faith!) to pop in the handlebar bag
- final kit selection (ie, ruthlessly cull the bags of kit I’ve piled up thus far!)
- mental prep....
- & choosing which snacks to take from my vast collection of Naked, Tribe, Trek, Outdoor Provision and more
Not to mention nervously checking forecasts.....🌞🌪🌦🌩💨💦
....in particular, wind direction: did a 50m ride the other weekend directly into a north-easterly: horrible! A similar one last weekend with a so’westerly saw my feeble speed go up about 2mph, and of course the ride felt so much easier!
I am a bit less concerned about rain....I’ve had a hail and rain the past few weeks, it is the wind direction that kills me🌬
Bike is in fine fettle, & given the forecast this weekend, I will probably not get out for any more runs: do it want to risk any mechanical or personal last minute issues, it’s all in the head now
Also managed to raise almost £1,500 (so far!) for Mountain Rescue, pleased with that
"Follow Fosse Way for 300 km. Then, turn left onto Ermine St, and continue for 200 km".
Heh heh heh: that'd be simples, eh!
I'll be dawdling around the Fosse, for sure, but minimal actual touching of it!
My route is approximately this:
Oh, on the logging - I will try to post at least a piccy a day on Instagram here....the JustGiving page for HVMRT is here (if I shouldn't put that here, mods, let me know!)
I'll be dawdling around the Fosse, for sure, but minimal actual touching of it!
My route is approximately this:
Oh, on the logging - I will try to post at least a piccy a day on Instagram here....the JustGiving page for HVMRT is here (if I shouldn't put that here, mods, let me know!)
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First 2 days done...lawks it’s hilly!
Bizarre start Monday: beautiful weather at Lands End, then bucketing rain for my last few hours
Today was good....but I do have an ankle injury that is causing me concern...
...but the forecast tomorrow is horrible: 40-50mph winds and rain
💨💨💨
on the ‘bright’ side..,.they should be mostly behind me
Bizarre start Monday: beautiful weather at Lands End, then bucketing rain for my last few hours
Today was good....but I do have an ankle injury that is causing me concern...
...but the forecast tomorrow is horrible: 40-50mph winds and rain
💨💨💨on the ‘bright’ side..,.they should be mostly behind me
jay clock
Massive member
- Location
- Hampshire UK
i have requested to follow your instagram. very jealous. Flat all the way after the SW! Well not quite, but flatter
